Chelsea hold onto Essien

Chelsea midfielder Michael Essien has been omitted from the Ghana squad for this month's African Nations Cup, after failing to recover from ankle ligament damage.

Essien's participation in the competition had been in doubt following a tackle by West Ham's Nigel Reo-Coker left him unable to walk after Chelsea's 3-1 victory at Upton Park at the start of the year.

Chelsea manager Jose Mourinho insisted the player would not be fit enough to start the tournament, which begins in Egypt next week, and now coach Ratomir Dujkovic has opted to allow him to continue his rehabilitation in England.

Essien, 23, returned to light training earlier this week - fuelling speculation he would included in Dujkovic's squad - but he will miss the tournament completely.

He will also be unavailable for Chelsea's trip to Sunderland on Sunday.

However, striker Carlton Cole is available and is determined to capitalise on the absence of Didier Drogba.

Cole could get his second start of the season on Sunday, as Drogba is on African Nations Cup duty with the Ivory Coast and Hernan Crespo is struggling to overcome a hamstring problem.

After season-long loan spells with Aston Villa and Charlton, Mourinho decided Cole would stand a better chance of improving as a player if he remained at Stamford Bridge and fought for a place in his first team.

Cole celebrated his first-team comeback with the opening goal in Chelsea's 2-1 FA Cup third-round victory over Huddersfield last Saturday.

"It's a great opportunity for me," Cole said.

"It's what I've been waiting for over the last three years and I must take it."